Alastair Clarkson will this week join Allan Jeans in equal second place on the list of most games coached at Hawthorn.
Jeans coached Hawthorn in 221 games (1981-87, 1989-90). Clarkson has currently coached in 220 games, delivering 135 wins, 84 losses and one draw and, most importantly, two Premierships. The record for most Hawthorn games coached is 299, held by John Kennedy Snr. His tally included one game as acting coach in 1957, and then two spells in charge (1960-63, 1967-76).
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Round 8 has been the best round in Alastair Clarkson’s tenure at Hawthorn, as he has coached the team to 8 wins out of 9 in this round, the only blemish coming in 2006.
However, some of the recent Round 8 wins have not come without a struggle. Twice the Hawks have been 32 points behind at quarter time but recovered, beating Port Adelaide by 15 points in 2008 and St Kilda by 30 points in 2011. Then there was Round 8 2010 when a Sam Mitchell tackle in the dying seconds secured a season-saving 3 point victory against Richmond at the MCG.
Overall in Round 8, Hawthorn has won 45 and lost 43 (and had a bye 1992).
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It was appropriate that Billy Hartung made his debut last Saturday in Jordan Lewis’ 200th game, as Hartung was wearing the number 40, the same number which Lewis wore in his debut season of 2005. Lewis is one of a number of Hawks to have forged successful careers in other numbers after a season or two wearing number 40. Others include Michael Osborne, Andrew Collins and Alan Goad.
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There were a number of noteworthy features of Hawthorn’s big win against St Kilda last Saturday.
The St Kilda final score of 4.6.30 was the lowest Hawthorn had conceded for 26 years and the equal sixth lowest of all time. The five lower were 17 (1988), 21 (1964), 24 (1931), 27 (1956) and 29 (1966).
The winning margin of 145 points was the fifth biggest in club history behind only 165 (2011), 162 (2012), 160 (1992) and 157 (1991). Hawthorn has now won 24 games by 100 points or more, compared to 19 losses. However, it is striking that in Hawthorn’s first 45 seasons in the League the club did not win a single game by 100 points and lost 13. In the 45 seasons since then, Hawthorn has won 24 and lost just 6.
Hawthorn kept St Kilda scoreless in the second quarter, just the second time Hawthorn has kept an opponent scoreless in a quarter in the past decade. In Round 21 2011, Hawthorn kept Port Adelaide scoreless in the final quarter. Before that, one has to go back to 2003 when Carlton failed to score in the final term against the Hawks.
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10 years ago, in Round 8 2004, Hawthorn snapped a 6 game losing streak beating Fremantle by 9 points in Launceston – 10.10.70 to 8.13.61. Shane Crawford and Richie Vandenberg both kicked 2 goals and were joined in the best players by Chance Bateman and Trent Croad,
20 years ago, in Round 8 1994, Hawthorn thrashed Brisbane at Waverley by 99 points – 25.16.166 to 10.7.67. Jason Dunstall kicked 10 goals, Tim Hargeaves 4 and Jason Taylor 3. Anthony Condon, Mark Graham and Darren Jarman all had 28 disposals. Hargreaves’ goals took his tally in the first 3 games of his AFL career to 10, a better return than such greats as Peter Hudson (8) and Dunstall (5).
30 years ago, in Round 8 1984, Hawthorn thrashed recent bogey team Carlton by 68 points – 23.13.151 to 12.11.83. Hawthorn had only won 2 of its previous 12 games against Carlton but this result was never in doubt after the Hawks kicked a stunning 10.3 in first quarter. John Kennedy kicked 5 of the 10 opening term goals.
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Hawthorn has played South Melbourne / Sydney 155 times, recording 86 wins, 67 defeats and two draws. This will be the third time the two clubs have met at Stadium Australia. Sydney won the Round 2 2009 encounter, but the Hawks squared the ledger with a come from behind win in Round 23 last season.
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The big names dominate the leading goal-kickers in Round 8. Peter Hudson booted 13 in this round in 1970 (against South Melbourne), while Jason Dunstall kicked 10 in 1994 (against Brisbane). Hudson holds the individual goals record for Hawthorn against the Swans, twice kicking 13 - in Round 11 1969 and Round 8 1970.
